My mom's homemade potato salad, like her macaroni salad, is simple but has tons of flavor - and I'm giving you plenty of tips and tricks to make it legendary!
🥘Ingredients
- Almost any kind of potatoes are fine. I think the Yukon Gold variety is the best because they have thin skins, hold their shape, and I don't have to peel them!
- Use a sweet type onion like Vidalia or 1015.
- I like plain yellow mustard in this but dijon is great, too.
- Cider vinegar has the flavor you want. After all, it's what mom used.
🔪 Instructions
Classic potato salad is really simple but it relies on the flavors and textures being perfectly balanced. Too much mayo and it will be bland. Too much mustard and it will be too tangy.
Here's how to get it just right.
- Cook the eggs.
- Dice the raw potatoes. No need to peel them if you're using Yukon Gold or other thin skinned potato.
- Cook potatoes in salted water until just fork tender. Don't overcook.
- Chop the onion and celery.
- Peel and chop the eggs.
- Mix the vinegar, mayonnaise, and mustard.
- Add enough evaporated milk to make it like a thin yogurt (think Yoplait)
- Mix the celery, onion, and cooked potatoes in a bowl and pour the dressing over.
- Stir well and chill for at least 4 hours. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.
🎥 Video
Just click on the image below if you'd like to see the full length video on YouTube. It opens in a new tab so you won't lose your place here.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip- Always keep your potato salad COLD. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve, keep the bowl on ice if you're serving outside, and cover and put away leftovers promptly!
You know, everyone has an idea of how classic potato salad should be made and there's definitely lots of room for your own personal twists! Here are some of my favorite tips to help you become an expert at this summer side dish!
- Instead of boiling potatoes in salted water boil them in chicken or vegetable bouillon for a pop of extra flavor.
- Add a little bbq sauce or hot sauce to the dressing for extra zing.
- Use red potatoes and/or red onions for more color.
- Some people prefer Miracle Whip to mayonnaise in the dressing. Personally, y'all know I am a Hellmann's girl but if your mom made it with Miracle Whip who am I to argue?
- If you like sweet pickle relish add in up to half a cup with the dressing.
👩🏻🍳 FAQs
Here are the most commonly asked questions about this recipe. If you don't find the answer to yours here leave a comment below or email me - I'll get back to you as soon as I can!
If you've diced them ahead of time then you'll only need to boil them for about 5 minutes or until fork tender but not mushy.
No - homemade potato salad definitely doesn't freeze well! It will store in the refrigerator, tightly covered for up to 3 days.
You can make it up to 2 days ahead of time. It's actually a good idea to make it the day before - it tastes even better.
Of course the classics like hamburgers and hot dogs are always a good addition to the plate. I like my Better Than Popeye's Crispy Chicken Strips or Italian Beef Sandwiches with a scoop of homemade potato salad on the side!
My mom was from the midwest and I honestly never saw a lot of difference between her recipe and southern recipes that I tried. In Louisiana they tend to mash the potatoes up a bit, in the deep south they add pickle relish...
That's about it.
One thing I do know, though. No matter where you go you're going to hear, my mom's potato salad was the best!
And it's true. No matter where you are from or who you are Mom's homemade potato salad is the best.
If this isn't exactly how your mom made it use it as a jumping off spot and work with it until you get it just right. After all, it's not just a recipe... it's a legacy.
📖 Recipe
Mom's Homemade Potato Salad 🥔
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes, peeled (if needed) and cut into chunks
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup celery, diced small
- ¾ cup Vidalia onion, chopped small
- 3 hard-cooked eggs, chop 2, reserve 1
- paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons evaporated milk, a little less or a little more
Instructions
- Bring eggs to a boil, cover and turn off heat. Set aside for 12 minutes.
- Peel and dice potatoes. If you're using Yukon gold no need to peel!
- Chop the onion and celery.
- Peel and chop the eggs.
- Cook potatoes in rapidly boiling, salted water for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until fork tender but not mushy. Drain.
- Mix the vinegar, mayonnaise, and mustard.
- Add enough evaporated milk to make it like a thin yogurt (think Yoplait). Taste and add sugar if needed.
- Mix the celery, onion, and cooked potatoes in a bowl and pour the dressing over. Taste and stir in salt and pepper as desired.
- Stir well and chill for at least 4 hours.
- Peel and slice remaining hard cooked egg. Arrange on top of the potato salad and sprinkle with paprika before serving.
Notes
- Instead of boiling potatoes in salted water boil them in chicken or vegetable bouillon for a pop of extra flavor.
- Add a little bbq sauce or hot sauce to the dressing for extra zing.
- Use red potatoes and/or red onions for more color.
- Some people prefer Miracle Whip to mayonnaise in the dressing. Personally, y'all know I am a Hellmann's girl but if your mom made it with Miracle Whip who am I to argue?
- If you like sweet pickle relish add in up to half a cup with the dressing.
- Always keep your potato salad COLD. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve, keep the bowl on ice if you're serving outside, and cover and put away leftovers promptly!
JOHN
The Carbohydrates must be a mistake,2 pounds of potatoes with 8 servings would be 4 ounces of of potato each and that alone would be around 4-5 grams of Carbs. even with 1 gram of fiber subtracted for net carbs.it would be 3-4 grams. Love your posts, copy most of you recipes for file to try soon or later; potato salad time in Texas for BBQ, Fish Fry,etc. Helmann's or homemade here.
Marye
They are. I've added a note at the bottom of the recipe. Thanks!
Deb Clark
Yum, this sounds fantastic! Just like my Mom's so that means it's GOOD! Love a great potato salad, it's always the perfect side dish!
Marye
Mom's is always the best!